Paralegal or Senior Paralegal, Immigrant Justice & Litigation

Type: Regular, Non-Exempt, Full-time. This position is included in the collective bargaining unit represented by CWA Local 9410.

Location: San Francisco,CA. This is a hybrid role that is required to work in the office 2 days a week.

Deadline: Applications are due by Wednesday, November 18

Reports to: Immigrant Justice Program Director and Litigation Director

Compensation and Benefits

The Paralegal’s salary range is between $72,100 and $94,074. The Senior Paralegal’s salary range is between $90,270.72 and $101,599.92. The compensation is determined based on relevant years of experience and in accordance with the negotiated salary scale in the union contract for this position.

This position is eligible for language premiums for demonstrated proficiency in a language other than English that is regularly used in their job duties. The annual premium is $1,500 for oral proficiency and $1,500 for written proficiency in each language.

ALC’s comprehensive benefits package includes generous vacation and paid holidays; medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage (ALC pays 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for qualified dependents); a flexible spending account (FSA); and a 401K retirement plan with employer non-elective contribution and match.

Travel & Meetings: All ALC staff are expected to participate in regular check-in meetings with their supervisor/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required. This includes two (2) annual retreats, an anniversary celebration dinner, and meetings as needed in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Opportunity

The Asian Law Caucus is increasing its capacity to deepen its impact and reach at this critical moment and seeks a full-time paralegal to support attorneys in all phases of litigation, including case management, court filings, document review and production, docket management, document organization, drafting and responding to discovery, deposition, trial preparation, and cite-checking.

The paralegal will work under the supervision of the Immigrant Justice Program Director and may take additional direction from other attorneys, including the Litigation Director.

The Organization

ALC is the nation’s first legal organization focusing on advancing and defending the civil rights of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Since 1972, ALC has fought for access to affordable housing in San Francisco’s Chinatown, litigated high-profile civil rights cases, advocated for the passage of landmark policy changes, and provided an array of services including community education, advocacy, and direct client representation to further the rights of low-income immigrants and communities of color across our Housing Rights, Workers’ Rights, Immigrant Justice, and National Democracy Initiative programs, and other emerging areas of law.

Core Responsibilities

The paralegal provides litigation and other legal support to the Immigrant Justice Program Director and other attorneys, including the Litigation Director. Day-to-day responsibilities in this dynamic position vary, and include:

• Supporting attorneys in all phases of litigation from case initiation through trial and appeals and post-trial.
• Under attorney supervision, assisting with drafting court filings, including pleadings, motions, notices, proposed orders, etc., and filings in federal and state courts, including appellate courts, and arranging service of process.
• Assisting attorneys with responding to and propounding discovery, document review organizing exhibits, and summarizing depositions and other evidence produced in discovery.
• Providing hearing and trial support, including all aspects of trial and arbitration preparation, such as assembling binders, organizing exhibits,making travel arrangements, and assisting attorneys during hearings and trial.
• Preparing appellate records and appendices, including compiling and reviewing trial court documents and transcripts.
• Conducting initial client interviews and other factual investigations, gathering case facts, and coordinating witness schedules
• Identifying and assessing legal issues and performing legal research including relevant statutes, case law, and court rules.
• Proofreading, cite checking, and Bluebooking court briefs and discovery documents
• Maintaining electronic case notes, court and other deadlines, and files using legal management software (e.g., Clio) and other databases, preparing retainers and other forms, and organizing documents in SharePoint.
• Performing various day-to-day case management tasks and assisting with administrative and clerical duties such as entering client and case data to support program evaluation, outcome tracking and grant reporting, copying and filing; processing invoices, and documenting financial transactions,
• Providing or securing and coordinating qualified translators and interpreters to ensure language access among clients, attorneys, and volunteers (if bilingual).
• Performing additional duties as needed.

Required Qualifications

• At least two (2) years experience working as a paralegal, including in complex litigation, supporting cases from beginning to end, and understanding of common litigation practices, procedures, and workflow. At least five (5) or more years of experience is required for a Senior Paralegal
• Bachelor’s degree, or paralegal certificate from a program approved by the American Bar Association preferred
• Strong understanding of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, California Rules of Court, local court rules, and legal terminology
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and/or immigrant communities, preferably with knowledge of legal issues facing immigrants
• Proficiency in LexisNexis and Westlaw, or other similar legal research platforms.
• Excellent written, verbal and communication skills
• Superior analytical and reasoning abilities
• Well-organized, highly motivated, attentive to detail, and creative problem-solver
• Able to work with a high level of independence and demonstrated ability in steering cases and projects on own initiative as well as in a team-oriented environment
• Able to work on several projects simultaneously, and handle high volume and pace activity while staying calm under pressure and flexible
• Familiarity with legal case management systems, specifically Clio, is a plus.

Highly Desirable Qualifications

• Fluency in another language (e.g. East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and/or Spanish)
• Experience working with individuals whose primary language is not English and/or having disabilities and/or those experiencing a crisis and/or living in poverty
• Experience working in a non-profit legal service or other direct service environment

The position requires working with individuals during moments of extreme stress and instability. The position also requires the provision of culturally-sensitive, trauma-informed, and empathetic services. Some evening and weekend work may be required.

A paralegal hired at the Senior level will exercise a greater degree of leadership and independence consistent with ALC’s criteria for senior designation.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit via BreezyHR the following:

1. Cover letter explaining your interest in the position
2. Resume
3. One writing sample (no more than ten (10) pages)
4. Three (3) professional references (including at least two direct supervisors)

Asian Law Caucus is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including HIV, cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital or domestic partner status, reproductive health decision-making, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions) gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim and survivor status, political affiliation, height, weight, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.